Zips Crush Bowling Green, 8-2 in MAC Semifinal

November 03 | Men's Soccer

DEKALB, Ill. - Akron (13-4-1), jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first half and never looked back, routing Bowling Green (4-14-1) by an 8-2 score in the first Mid-American Conference Tournament semifinal game at Huskie Soccer Field in DeKalb, Ill.

The eight goals scored is the most since Akron put 12 in the net in last year's 12-2 win over Cleveland State.

Akron will play Northern Illinois at 2 p.m. (EST) Sunday in the MAC Championship game. The Huskies defeated Buffalo, 3-0 in today's other semifinal match. The game will be broadcast live on Comcast Local.

The Zips found themselves in an unfamiliar position early as they trailed 1-0 at 9:39 on a goal from Hunter Van Houten. Akron goalkeeper Evan Bush (Concord, Ohio/Lake Catholic) came off his line to punch the ball out, but the ball did not clear far enough and Drew Nichols got his foot on it, sending it over to Van Houten who took advantage of an open net.

The lead was short-lived as the Zips answered with a score at 11:42. Akron was awarded a free kick, and Jonathan McClain (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne/Wright State) tapped the ball to Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor/UIC), who played another tap to Ashley Kozicki (Kresgeville, Pa./Pleasant Valley/St. John's). Kozicki launched the ball from 20 yards out into the upper left for his seventh goal of the season.

"That was a crazy game that turned into a physical affair," head coach Caleb Porter said. "I am proud of the way our guys fought through. I was dissapointed in the first part of the match, giving up the early goal, but they managed to rebound in a positive way."

Ubiparipovic gave Akron a 2-1 lead at 24:00 off a ball from Steve Kalan (Highland Heights, Ohio/Mayfield). Kalan ran with the ball up the field before dishing off to Ubiparipovic. The Zips senior broke free, beating BGSU keeper Paul Shoemaker 1-on-1 for his seventh score of the season.

Midfielder Elliot Bradbrook (Kent, England/Leigh City Technology) had two near-misses in the first half, sending a screamer just over the cross bar minutes into the match, and sending a lob attempt just high in the 26th minute. He made up for it at 28:54 with Akron's third score of the afternoon. Again coming off a set piece, Kozicki served the ball across the goal mouth to Devin McKenney (North Olmsted, Ohio/North Olmsted/Dayton), and McKenney's mis-hit landed at the foot of Bradbrook who sent it home.

Stefan Ostergren (North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) got in on the scoring act to give the Zips a 4-1 lead at 35:00 when Rostand Erlichman (Scottsdale, Ariz./Chaparral) played a thru ball to Ostegren and the sophomore beat the keeper for his second goal of the season.

The Falcons got a goal back when the Zips were called for an infraction in the penalty area and Kyle McNayr converted the penalty shot at 55:51. The Zips nearly added to their lead when Kozicki lofted a ball at the net that froze the keeper and just bounced off the cross bar and back into the field of play.

Akron did get that score back for a 5-2 lead at 62:23 when Bradbrook played the ball to Matt Tutich (Westmont, Ill./Hinsdale Central) on the left wing and the sophomore sent it to the far post in the back of the net.

Pablo Moreira (Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville) was credited with the Zips' sixth goal of the match at 70:33, sending home a ball played to him by Kozicki. Erlichman netted his first career goal at 81:20 as Kalan played the ball across the goal to the wide open freshman at 81:28. Ostegren capped off the scoring with his second goal of the afternoon at 86:26, breaking away and beating the keeper 1-on-1.

Akron finished with a 21-8 advantage on shots, with 12 of those looks on goal.